Cannabis is a unique plant to study from a photo-biological perspective, because it can take on more light than most commercial crops with almost no ill effects. In fact, because cannabis produces more of its valuable commodities when it is pushed to its limits, our team recently discussed a series of revolutionary insights in a webinar discussing the Impact of Spectra on Indoor & Greenhouse Cannabis Production. [qode_elements_holder number_of_columns=”two_columns”][qode_elements_holder_item vertical_alignment=”middle” horizontal_alignment=”left” advanced_animations=”no” background_color=”#eaeaea” item_padding=”10%”]In collaboration with Wageningen University & Research and Compassionate Cultivation, Fluence is proud to announce the findings of a series of groundbreaking photobiology research studies examining how light spectra affect cannabis growth and development. These studies are the first of their kind and provide key insights for commercial cannabis growers looking to maximize production, improve product quality and optimize efficiencies in their farms.[/qode_elements_holder_item][qode_elements_holder_item cover=”yes” advanced_animations=”no” background_image=”89263″ item_padding=”25%”][/qode_elements_holder_item][/qode_elements_holder]
Die Geheimnisse der Photobiologie von Cannabis entschlüsseln
Cannabis is a high value crop in commercial agriculture, but it currently has very limited scientific documentation to guide its commercialization. Because of this, the Fluence research team has been focused on discovering insights about cannabis that are immediately actionable. Research was conducted in two studies focused on how lighting can be used to further enhance the desirable aspects of cannabis in commercial greenhouse and indoor settings.
Each experiment was carefully designed to examine the effects of broad spectrum white light, broad spectrum pink light and narrow band red/blue light deployed on the VYPR 3p Series. Each light treatment is distinct in spectral composition. The purpose of examining each of these treatments is to further understand which light spectra is most appropriate for corresponding greenhouse or indoor environments for Type I cannabis (high in THC), Type III cannabis (high in CBD) and Type II cannabis (a balance of THC and CBD).
Figure 1: Fluence top light spectra deployed in research studies. Click to enlarge.Through these studies, Fluence was able to determine eight key insights in manipulating the development of cannabis that can have a profound effect on commercial cannabis production when applied correctly:
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Abbildung 2: Auswirkungen von Rotlicht auf die Terpenproduktion In erster Linie hat Fluence nachgewiesen, dass bei einigen Sorten ein geringerer Anteil an rotem Licht mit einem Anstieg der Cannabinoidkonzentration einhergeht.
- Noch interessanter ist, dass sich mit rotem Licht das Terpenverhältnis in Cannabis manipulieren lässt (siehe Abbildung 2).
- Bei niedriger zusätzlicher Lichtintensität im Gewächshaus erzielen alle getesteten Fluence-Spektren vergleichbare Erträge.
- In Innenräumen - wo Lichtquellen mit höherer Intensität emittieren - ergaben die Spektren Broad White R4 und R8 höhere Werte als R6.
- In Innenräumen erzielte R4 bei bestimmten Cannabissorten vom Typ I mit hohem THC-Gehalt bis zu 17 % höhere Erträge als die nächstbeste Spektrallösung.
- In Innenräumen lieferte R4 durchweg höhere Erträge und hat den zusätzlichen Vorteil, dass es kein Photobleaching verursacht, während Spektren wie R8, die einen wesentlich höheren Anteil an rotem Licht haben, Photobleaching verursachen.
- Bei beiden Arten von Umgebungen ist die Empfindlichkeit des Spektrums von der Sorte abhängig.
- Wenn man diese Erkenntnisse auf die Umgebung eines Anbaubetriebes anwendet, können R4- und R8-Beleuchtung eingesetzt werden, um die geschätzte Bruttomarge des Anbaubetriebes erheblich zu erhöhen.
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Diese Erkenntnisse sind von großer Bedeutung, da sie von Züchtern, die spezifische chemische und morphologische Effekte in ihren Cannabispflanzen erzielen wollen, sofort genutzt werden können. In beiden Studien konnte Fluence die Tatsache bestätigen, dass Lichtspektren einen erheblichen Einfluss auf Ihre Cannabispflanzen haben können, unabhängig davon, ob sie im Innenbereich oder in einem Gewächshaus angebaut werden.
Was bedeutet das für Ihr Wachstum?
A primary benefit of the webinar is how growers were able to address their questions in real-time, learning exactly how they can leverage Fluence’s research to impact plant response and productivity in their current environments. A few examples of questions asked during the webinar include:[qode_accordion][qode_accordion_tab title=”Q: What is the right spectrum for my cannabis crops?” title_tag=”h4″]A: This is highly dependent on your cultivation goals. As evidenced by the results above, cannabinoids, terpenes and yield are all affected by spectra choice, to varying degrees. Whether you are looking to sell your crops as flower or extract, Fluence can help you determine the right spectra to maximize your investment into lighting.[/qode_accordion_tab][qode_accordion_tab title=”Q: Should I be using UV or far-red lighting?” title_tag=”h4″]A: While there is a lot of interest outside of PAR, there is a clear misconception of the value of these light sources and their impact on yield or plant chemistry. Far-red light is good for eliciting a shade avoidance response, and it will give cannabis plants a larger canopy and stretch out the plants, which can be good for cultivars that have dense foliage. The Fluence research team will discuss this topic in more detail in an upcoming webinar. Register here.[/qode_accordion_tab][qode_accordion_tab title=”Q: What is the impact on plant morphology between spectra?” title_tag=”h4″]A: In indoor settings, no noticeable evidence of stretch occurred. However, in the greenhouse environment, there was significant canopy expansion under the R8 light treatment. Our working theory is that a lower potting density in the greenhouse environment enabled the plants to spread and stretch more in that study. In the indoor study, photobleaching was also observed under spectra containing higher levels of red-light, negatively impacting market value of the harvested bud.[/qode_accordion_tab][qode_accordion_tab title=”Q: What is the appropriate light level for cannabis crops in my region?” title_tag=”h4″]A: This study utilized a PPFD of 480-500 in the greenhouse environment and a PPFD of 1,100 in the indoor environment. We have seen many growers push light levels well beyond these metrics with success but the tolerance for high light intensity can be cultivar dependent. If you are considering supplemental lighting in a greenhouse it is always best to measure the transmissivity of your greenhouse and consult with a Fluence specialist to develop a lighting strategy for your targeted PPFD based on your annual DLI.[/qode_accordion_tab][/qode_accordion]A number of other questions including the reasons why photobleaching occurs, the importance of DLI measurements, how light affects plant morphology and a deep-dive into how each experiment was conducted were also addressed during the webinar.
If you are interested in learning more about Fluence research, or if you would like to gain access to the webinar, contact a Fluence sales representative directly here.
For more research insights and best practices that might be relevant to your business, we encourage you to tune into our ongoing webinar series as well.
